Lonesome Heart
by starli
Summary: Naruto is alone. He hides it well. When he goes out to vent his frustrations, he gets something he thought was still a long time coming...
1. Chapter 1

The moon shone dutifully through the window of the young shinobi who was quickly becoming a man. It played out a pale pattern across the whiskered face. Eyes closed an expression of consternation firmly in place. Breathing too quickly for sleep, yet showing a restful state. A sigh escaped from the lips of him, allowing for the opening of the blue eyes that made him so very Naruto.

He slowly sat up and rose from his repose on his worn bed. He walked to the window to look down upon the alley that his apartment faced. He closed his eyes briefly before seemingly making his mind up about something. He opened his window, slipped out, and softly returned the window to where it originally rested. He silently whisked off into the night, unaware of the ominous clouds growing around him.

Naruto stopped at a little clearing outside of Konoha. He moved to the middle of the open space that the forest had naturally formed. He stood still, the only allowed movement were those necessary, breathing of air, beating of heart, the skittering of his thoughts.

He removed the characteristic orange jacket. He let it fall limply to the ground. A blustering of the wind that had only just picked up ruffled his hair and grabbed at his clothing.

He smelled the oncoming rain. He felt the jolting charge of electricity that accompanied it. He inhaled deeply, reveling in the scent.

Then he began to move. First only jerky slight movements of fingers, twitches of his head and elbows moved. Then they became more forceful, longer movements. These slowly organized themselves into katas that flowed out of Naruto. He moved faster. Each movement was intense, charged with the power of his chakra. He reveled in the feeling, wanting to forget everything in the simplicity of the movement.

He did this for his sanity. He did this for his carefully constructed mask. He did this for the village. He did this for his precious ones. He feared if he did not do this thing, this ritual that had quickly become so ruitine, so addicting, he would lash out and _hurt. _That is something that he did not want to ever happen. He could handle all of the hurt in the world as long as everyone was safe. Even those who hated him; it was his ninja way.

The storm raged around Naruto as he continued. He was becoming more and more exhausted, Kyuubi's chakra now being used instead of his own. He fought the elements now, screaming all of his emotions into the wind. He wanted nothing more than to let everything out, disappear into the storm, but he knew when he awoke his sorrows and pitiful existence would still be there.

Now completely exhausted, Naruto lay in the grass, eyes closed, allowing the rain to cover him, wash him, sooth him. He felt himself fall into sleep, lulled by the rain and his own exhaustion. Unbeknownst to him, two shadows were lurking in the forest just beyond the break in trees watching him. They were waiting for the blond to loose himself completely from the world. This was going to be easier than they first had anticipated. Oh so much easier. They would be finally fulfilling the goal of the organization. Eyes glinted in sadistic pleasure. Soon, very soon.

Moonlight played with the features of an ebony haired boy. There he stood, looking like an eerie statue in the courtyard of a large compound. He inhaled slowly. He was stronger, free for the first time in two years to finally finish what has been his deepest desire for most of his young life.

He stepped foreword, glancing around him with blood-red eyes, reflections of the carnage around him. Yes, he had done his duty well. It was silent, only his faint breathing could be heard. It was fitting, seeing as he had just single handedly taken out Sound. Orochumaru had died pitifully. He had completed his Sharingan. He mastered it, it was his. And because of it, he was strong. He had done it all on his own. They hadn't called him a genius for nothing. He found another way to obtain Megikyo Sharingan, and in the process discovering his bloodline's mastery of the Sharingan. And because of this he was ready. And Itachi will never stand a chance.

He was ready. Finally, he could end all of these emotions, the only emotions that he had allowed himself to feel. The emotions that had led himself to this very position and spurred him on, making him a slave to their whim. He knew it was foolish, and a part of him had kept a part of his heart free of those emotions. But that is not something that he was going to dwell on now. He had to find Itachi. Find him and finish his dream.

Sasuke finally picked up his brother's trail. He smirked in menace. His life's dream would finally be realized. Then he could back to his life before his brother had taken it all away. At that thought he stopped short in his tracks. Reality came crashing upon him, nearly taking his breath away. For the first time in over two years, he began to feel again, or rather, he allowed himself to feel.

His heart felt that it was ripping. He saw all of his actions from his life in a different light. He saw them with eyes of a man finally realizing his mistakes. He replayed his fight with Naruto in the valley of the end, and he fell to his knees in agony. He knew that he could never return to Konoha and expected things to return to normal. He had tried to kill his best friend for crying out loud. His best friend, the only person he had ever allowed to invade the core of who he is. Some where in the back of his mind in these many months has kept him persevering. The orange dobe had in fact been the driving factor driving to the end that he is so close to achieving. Now he felt that he had lost his whole world. Naruto had become the symbol to of all of what he wanted after his vengeance. Now, Naruto would never forgive him.

With all of these thoughts running through his head, he hardened his resolve and began to blaze upon the trail that his brother had left with the use of his Sharingan. He would get his brother, and he would make him pay.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

As thoughts came rushing back to him, so did the myriad of feelings. Certain things from his senses stood out in numbing clarity, more clarity than he thought him capable of. He felt the fibers of the rough wood that rubbed against the back of his hands. He heard the echoes of the slight _splosh_ of water as it trickled somewhere nearby.

He knew he could not see. The space was so darkened, not even a silhouette could be seen. He knew that he most certainly was not in his secluded clearing outside of Konoha. He also knew that he had set himself up for trouble again.

Then, he smelled it. That smell reminded him of a candle just blown out with a hint of blood just around the edges. He ground his teeth together as his recently awakened mind recognized the smell. The smell that he had tucked away in the fringes of his memories, one that he had trust aside in light of much more pressing matters.

He growled in the back of his throat, more at himself than at the person currently in the room with him. The smell made him aware of another, perhaps two, was there with him. He should _not_ have been taken so unaware!

The sound of idiotic and slightly filtered laughter reached his ears causing his hair on the base of his neck to stand on end and his skin to visibly crawl. It slowly permeated through his ears to his brain making it difficult to concentrate on anything else.

He clamped his eyes shut, hoping that motion would be reciprocated to his ears, to effectively cut off the ludicrous sound. This defensive reflex did nothing to ward off the offending laughter, and he hesitatingly opened them again.

Light that was not there before flickered throughout the concrete box that held him. Shadows rebounded off the walls. He blinked rapidly to adjust his eyes once again.

He took in his surroundings. He was bound to a rough hewn table in the center of the room. He stared up at the jagged ceiling. This place reminded him of himself. The stones, the flickering lights, the laughter, it all reminded him of a place deep within himself…he smirked with the irony. Although he knew this was not the time to be smirking. That made him grin. Situations such as these never did have a _scowling_ effect on him.

The laughter subsided. The lack of it startled him out of his self contained thoughts bringing him back to the present. He turned his head toward the point where the sound was last emitted. What he found is what he expected, but what he had hoped would still be along time coming.

His eyes met those so familiar, yet so foreign. As soon as the contact and the recognition were made, however, his mind was suddenly taken elsewhere. With despair, he knew this was now the beginning of the end.

XXxxXX

Sasuke glowered at the sun. The orange and pink hues painted his pale face signifying the dying of the day. This simple and unstoppable act infuriated the Uchiha to no end. One more day had passed since his search had begun. And still he had yet to gain any leads to where his brother might perhaps have left his presence. He had once caught a whiff of Itachi's essence. The whiff had disappeared. Nothing was left anywhere, although, Sasuke did not think that his brother would make it easy on him.

Sasuke was not patient. Thus, he glowered.

Sasuke stilled in his tracks, standing on the edge of a steep precipice. Brows drawn together in concentration, he focused his chakra. Closing his eyes, he envisioned his sharingan superimposing the land about him. After a few rapid had signals, he sent it to searching, searching for any large or significantly familiar chakra signature.

He reveled in this system of seeing. He felt it was much more frank that the illusionary world that he saw every waking day. This exposed every living thing, leaving it bare before Sasuke. He felt a euphoric rush from the power that this technique allowed him to possess.

With this technique, he saw chakra signatures represented as the soul of the person. Because chakra is the combination of the body and the spirit, the very core and most hidden aspects of the person were represented in their chakra signature.

Immediately covering the area within the vision of the naked eye he bypassed to the encompassing space. He searched first over the familiar ground that he knew. He passed over it quickly has he did not think that he would find anything that would alert him.

What he found was what he least expected. He found a highly dense and powerful signature far off. It felt familiar, somewhat nagging with underlying menace and raw power that lurked with flashes of gold in his mind's eye. He struggled to place it, but he felt as though it were only dangling in front of him, teasing. He growled. This was not helping.

He searched around that golden source. He found more signatures. All of them powerful, all of them had a startling similarity. It was as though there were a thread that connected them. He followed along the thread to the signatures closest to the source of the golden power.

He drew his breath in sharply. His frustration vanished and the hate once smoldering grew into an intense roaring red flame. His eyes snapped open. They were hardened to piercing slits. He readied himself to speed off in to the quickening night, vengeance at his heals.

He dashed to the edge of the precipice and dove off the face into the deep shadows that lined the teethed wall of the cliff-face. The elation of the intense feeling that he always carried with him now being brought out in full force gave him confidence and power. With a scream filled with a sadistic glee, Sasuke launched himself into the pursuit of his life's last meaning.

End Chapter 2 

Thank you to all who choose to read and review. I appreciate it greatly.


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: Naruto-kun does not belong to me…but oh what fun we would have if he were mine…tee hee. rolls eyes

Chapter 3 

"Naruto-kun, you have evaded us for naught."

A glaring, jabbing look was sent in reply.

"Now, we can have some fun."

Eyes rolled in frustration and stared back determinedly.

"Still trying so hard?"

One eyebrow lifted.

"And so quiet…"

Eyes rolled again in annoyance of the obvious.

"Shall we begin?"

Eyes widened, and then squeezed shut in pain.

XXxxXX

"What!?"

Silence answered.

"Shit, this is idiotic."

The silence once again answered.

"What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

Eyes closed in frustration.

They opened again only to narrow.

"Itachi…"

Eyes now intensely focused stared into the silence.

XXxxXX

Screams echoed throughout the small chamber. The vibrations issued by the anguished vocal cords reverberated off of the walls. There was a lull, where only the harsh pain - filled breathing was heard.

"Breaking, the pleasant sound of it, it is so fulfilling."

Panting and tear were the only things given forth from the young captive.

"Soon, you will be begging for your life, and that is when we shall take the Kyuubi. It really is your own fault you know."

A soft plaintive sound escaped with the desperate breathing. His bared torso bore the marks of the torture that had been dealt toward him. He grits his teeth, unrelenting stubbornness forcing him to hold in the pain that was not being healed.

"What? Yes. Fine. I seems as though our retrieval has been cut short."

Faint, erratic breathing is all that could be heard in the dim chamber of torture and release.

XXxxXX

"Damn it!"

Loosing its luster and keenness, a kunai clutched preposterously in strong hands grated along the wall, showering sparks reflecting the frustration of its wielder. The trail left in the wake of the knives what jagged and scarred. Remnants of the ore torn violently strewn about the passageway were whispers of tenacious frustration.

"A fucking labyrinth!"

Harsh breathing, gasping and forcing violent breaths of absolute aggravation towards the impossible situation that was self imposed revealed the rage rippling beneath the surface of the boy. This boy was barely self contained.

"Itachi…"

"Hate…"

Ragged breath.

"_Ithchi…"_

Step, scrape, screeching metal.

"_Hate…"_

Glowering, burning, eyes.

"YOU!"

Filling, engulfing intent for blood.

XXxxXX

Slumping down against another dead end, frustrated growls emitted from the tormented youth. Grasping eyelashes groped for each other, demanding to feel one against the other, effectively blocking the world to the mass of winding tunnels from the sight of the enraged and emboldened Sharingan.

Pressing exhaustion came along tucking away cares and thoughts of the wandering and frustration. Thoughts that also had been resurfacing with a certain _feeling_, one that had been pondered once, came weaving up between hatred, doubt, and lust. The last caressing thought skimming in the mind's eye that surfaced before the pressing became dominant was of blue and sunshine. _Feelings_.

Gone.

"Naruto…"

XXxxXX

"He is here, but his location has yet to be pinpointed exactly."

Groveling silence remained in the wake of the voice.

"He is strong…"

The voice tapered into the groveling to imply the unstated, so that the groveling did not become fear of what was causing it. The groveling became more intense, almost pleading for mercy, mercy that was never granted, yet always expected.

"Intending for blood is strong with him."

The master of the ambiance had at last turned his ear to the strength fast approaching.

"Find him."

XXxxXX

"So, little fox, death looking healthy right now?"

Blind blue blinked.

"Shutting us out will not save you."

Sly slits appeared slightly for seconds before silently slipping away.

"The fox still hasn't given up?"

Lips stretched fatally feral, giving the face a horrific expression. Eyes deadened yet a grin showing the spark still left.

"Ready for more, then?"

Ripples of chakra rolled from the boy. It was cool and soothing. Nostalgic of rain and shattered glass, it pooled around the room, and then dissipated to the labyrinth beyond the door. The chakra was paradoxical to the situation of impending terrors. Eyes closed, acceptance of fate and pain, the boy awaited his doom.

XXxxXX

A soothing, crystalline feeling penetrated and buoyed the vengeful boy up out of unconsciousness into the living world once again. From his slumped position against the abrupt turn in the passageway, he inhaled the strange chakra into his system.

The familiarity of the invading and pleading chakra pulled him along. In his semi coherent state, his limbs were suddenly compelled to move of their own volition and carry him dazedly along.

When thoughts began to turn themselves out of their resting places into the woe-filled world once again, he found himself at the threshold of a door. This door held the locking mechanism on the outside, so that whatever was within was meant to stay there and not be disturbed or disturb anyone.

The fact that this careful pleading- almost searching- chakra had pulled him here without his will was surprising and almost ironic. Whoever the captors were, they were dealing with something that had a will much stronger than their own.

Now, fully aware of his place, eyes focused, he allowed his ability to command him. Eyelashes interweaving and mind reaching that place beyond, he stretched his sight into the room.

What he found enraged and startled him. Then rapture filled with murderous intent soared, surging up within him.

"ITACHI!"

Chapter 3 End 

AN: Apologies must be given for the delay in updating. I am currently in the middle of a script. This is taking up most of all creative excretions.

I also wanted to explain a little about this story. It is meant to be an experiential work for bettering my writing style and techniques. Thank you to my reviewers who are making this a worthwhile endeavor. Each chapter I am trying to improve a different aspect that needs to be strengthened as well as moving the plot along and developing the characters, so any and all criticism is always good.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Begin 

Red, the color, the power, surging, tore through the chamber. Red, edged with dangerous black, highlighted with the starkest of silvers poured out of the fuming young man poised on the threshold of the doorway.

Muscles flexed with raw killing intent, twin Chidori gathering up the essence of Sasuke and throwing it about. Sasuke bored his eyes intently into the eyes of the one who held the meaning of his existence in his hands.

Hands that had held, hands that had healed, hands that had protected, hands that had defiled, hands that had killed, hands that were no longer fit to bear the fate of someone so emphatic as Sasuke himself. Hands of who would soon be useless.

So, Sasuke grinned. He then took the face death and charged forward.

So. Itachi moved just so, just enough for Naruto to take the brunt of the attack, yet Itachi still effected enough to be thrown back, back fast and far to immobilize his arm.

So, Naruto inched closer to Death, welcoming its warming nothingness.

So, Sasuke, shocked from Naruto, yet still radiating from the blood rage engulfing mind and soul, rushed forward to deal the killing blow.

So, Kisame caught in the scorching gaze of one dying Uchiha, died as well.

So, red faded to a dull glow as the chamber stilled to silence and the oppressiveness of death.

So, the Lone and the Lonesome were left.

So, Sasuke was left with nothing. And as his gaze traveled the length of the room, almost blind from the use of his abilities, his gaze stumbled upon the broken figure, long past enduring; now to the brink, walking the plank with Death at his heals.

This, filling the nothing that was left. This, leaving behind confusion and an impulse so incredibly strong, all else was washed away, became the new, the beginning, the exodus out of despair. Living for something other that oneself will do that.

This desire, molten like gold swept up through the chamber and into the labyrinth beyond the threshold. The desire that was carried along bore away the despair and killing intent, so that all that remained was the knowledge of protection and rescue.

Why and How were nonsense words to be left behind.

All that was left was NOW and GO.

Meaning was lost in the mind broken by hate and killing. Longing to protect and rescue directed his movements to the point of robotic hypnotism. Not realizing still that while he was rescuing his precious person, he was in fact rescuing his soul.

So, awaking a forbidden evil power that was being purged from this tainted, tormented heart, wings sprung from his back in a rush from the second stage of emotions, he gathered his broken dreams and past in his arms, cradling gold in arms of ivory, they left that place of sorrow and redemption.

Chapter 4 end 

AN: This is a filler chapter to move the story along…meant to be short. Sorry if it disappoints.

Reviews are always welcome…not that I am begging….but…..c'mon…we all love them…don't deny it…


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 begin

It was a quiet night. The summer was coming to an end and most of the woodland creatures were enjoying the night in languid tranquility. The moon shone, half hiding its face in playful serenity as the stars took over in brilliant sparkles.

The air in a small clearing suddenly convoluted as graying, leather like wings dropped two young men down to lay crumpled among the long grasses. The wings receded and left a panting boy, laying on his back gulping up fresh flowing air.

Soon silence blanketed the clearing. The dark haired one rolled over to look at his golden companion. All the fury, the red, the pain came washing back through him with startling clarity. Then with that came the erogenous smell of smell of blood wafted through the air and he glanced to the point of which the source of the metallic sweetness was originating from.

What met his eyes made his breath catch up in his throat and his muscled seized up not allowing for any movement. Panic gripped him as he forcefully shook himself out of his overwhelming emotion.

He rose from his reclined position to kneeling beside Naruto. He frantically looked about for some way to aid his precious one. Naruto's breath came in shallow pants, each rise and fall of his breath pushing some more of the life enabling fluid to escape from the hole that Sasuke had caused.

Sasuke yanked the shirt from his back, wadding it in a tight ball to compress tightly against the wound. He held it firmly, willing for the crimson flow to be stopped. A shiver raced down his spine from the lack of clothing. The hairs rose on his forearms, giving him the feeling of supreme apprehension. This feeling intensified as Naruto coughed, blood splattering on frighteningly pale lips, contrasting sharply with his shallow skin and tawny hair.

Lids hiding the brilliance of blue beneath them, moved rapidly with frantic rapidity. Fingers fluttered against the dew covered ground. His breath came in gasps.

Sasuke looked down at him in confused consternation at what he should be doing.

Suddenly, blue eyes snapped open, his breathing coming in shorter gasps, sobbing like whimpers coming out with each breath. Sasuke was there immediately, leaning over his closest friend, ready to soothe away the pain.

Naruto screamed a horse scream as he looked into Sasuke's Sharingan eyes. He struggled to move away, but because of his weakened state, he only shook up to his elbows before falling back to the ground. He lay there panting and whimpering, a long, frantic string of words seeping out of his mouth.

"Don't…stop! Stop! You CAN'T HAVE HIM!"

Sasuke only pulled back a little in surprise, and then he cupped Naruto's head in his hand turning him and his frightened eyes to him. He leaned his head to the left and rolled his shoulder slightly forward. The curse seal placed upon him came into focus in Naruto's vision. He stilled, breathing even slowed. Then slowly, trembling, a soft wisp of a voice drifted up to Sasuke.

"Sasuke?"

Sasuke inclined his head. He leaned further to rest his forehead against Naruto's. Closing his eyes, he whispered:

"I'm back."

Naruto smiled up at him, a sad small smile.

"Welcome back."

Then he went limp, eyes closed. Sasuke opened his eyes abruptly, hand reaching out to feel out Naruto's pulse. He let a small breath out with the discovery of it, before he gathered his strength, picking up his burden. Placing him on his back, he sped of in to the night towards the rising sun.

XXxxXX

Genma was pacing in little circles now, letting the newly risen sun to warm his limbs that had been stiffened by the long night and the pre-dawn dew. He stretched his arms above his head, letting out a huge yawn, senbon needle still remaining in his mouth, though no one could be sure how this was possible.

"_This shift is almost over…I can almost feel the shower on my skin." _He thought with a sigh.

Suddenly he felt a spike of unfamiliar chakra to the left of him. He turned, evaluating the scenery about him, trying to locate it again. Then as he felt the chakra start to spike again he turned sharply to the left again.

What he saw, was probably the last thing that he expected from that shift that morning. He saw the flash of black, shining eyes, then a shock of yellow and it was gone leaping into the village.

And Genma just starred. He blinked. Then he pinched himself, eyes still locked on to the patch of earth and sky where he had seen the two young men seconds before. He flinched and shook his head to clear his thoughts. He touched his fingers to his neck, decidedly close to his pulse and radioed in a breach in the wall into Konoha.

"Inform the Hokage. We have two intruders who have now entered the village at an extremely high velocity. Presume them to be dangerous, now in pursuit."

_So much for that shower_, thought Genma as he sped off in the general direction that Sasuke and Naruto had disappeared.

Chapter 5 end.

AN: sorry about the delay, but my script is finally in final edits, so YAY! Hope you all enjoy!


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